Radiator



' Aug. 29, 1944.

D. P. WILSON RADIATOR Filed March 2, 194,2

2 Sheets-Sheet. 1

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D. P. WILSON RADIATOR" Filed March 2, 1942 2 Sheeis-Sheet 2' Donald P. WLISO Patented Aug. 29,1944

2,357,156 RADIATOR Donald P. Wilson, St. Louis Park, Minn, assignor to McQuay, Inc., Minneapolis, Minn, a corporation of Minnesota Application March 2, 1942, Serial No. 433,035

2 Claims. (Cl. 257146) My invention relates to improvements in radiators. v s

For various purposes in various industries and elsewhere, demands have arisen for simple, inexpensive, durable and efficient steam radiators capable of being operated at frequent intervals, under high pressures. Attempts to produce such radiators have been notably unsuccessful due to failures in the structures arising through breaks and fractures therein which have developed rapidly under stresses and strains caused through repeated uneven contraction and expansion in the various parts thereof.

An object of the present invention is to provide an eflicient and relatively simple and inexpensive radiator that is durable under frequent applications thereto of high-pressure steam.

Another and more specific object of my invention is to provide aradiator structure including,

a supply header and a return header, one thereof disposed within the other, and each header being free to expand and contract relative to the other header without any substantial interference therefrom.

A further object of the invention is to provide a steam radiator adapted repeatedly to be subjected to high pressures, as in response to a thermostatic control frequently causing the opening and closing of the radiator to the source of steam supply, in which device the construction thereof includes a supply header within a return 6 is an enlarged sectional view taken as on the line 6-6 of said Fig. 5. 3 a

Reference being had to the drawings, wherein similar reference characters designatev similar parts throughout the several views, it will be seen that the form of my invention, illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, includes two headers A, B, the latter being disposed withinthe former. These headers comprise tubular bodies H], II, respectively, drawn or otherwise formed from copper or other suitable metal, thebody of the outer header A being closed at its ends by means of heads 12 fitted therein and welded thereto and the body ll of the inner header-B being similarly closed at its ends by means of heads l3 welded thereinto.

Preferably, the inner header B will be the supply header into which steam is admitted from a supplyline (not shown) andthe outer header A will be the returnheader which drains into a return line (not shown). Together with said supply, header Band return header A, I employ a plurality of supply tubes 14 and a plurality of heating tubes I5, each'heating tube I5 of the one set having a companion supply tube M in the other set, which projects thereinto and extends almost entirely therealong, the inside diameter of the heating tube l5 being considerably greater than the outside diameter of its contained supply tube [4 to provide a return passageway It between such tubes for steam from the supply tube M and for water of condensation into which such steam may be resolved. The return header A Other objects of the invention reside in the novel combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter illustrated and/or described. I

In the drawings, Fig. l is a plan view of a form of radiator construction embodying the present invention, the same being adapted to be disposed horizontally for the vertical passage of air therethrough; Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken as on the line 22 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken as on the line 33 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is an elevational view of a second form of radiator construction embodying my invention, the same being adapted to be disposed vertically for the horizontal passage of air therethrough; Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken as on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4; and Fig.

is formed with .a plurality of openings I 1 along its length, oneopening for. each heating tube 15, the inner end of each heating tube l5 being received within its respective opening [1 in said header A and being secured thereto by brazing or soldering as at It. In a manner similar to that of the return header A, the supply header B is formed therealongwith a plurality of opeenings l9, one for each supply tube I 4, the inner end of each supply tube being received within its respective opening H! in said supplyheader B and being secured thereto by brazing or soldering as at 20. Each heating tube I5 is provided with a closure cap 2| at the outer endthereof, such cap being fitted with a wear-plate 22 against which steam impingesupon its issuance from the outer end of the companion supply tube 14. Fins 23 applied to the heating tubes l5 facilitate the exchange of heat between said heating tubes and the air passing therebetween, the end portions of said fins 23 being received in channel-like frame members 24 and disposed in edgewise contact with the webs 25 and flanges 26 of said frame members.

The inner ends of the frame members 24 are welded, as at 21, to the return header A and the outer ends of said frame members 24 are joined together by a channel-like frame member 28 which guards theouter, capped ends of the heating tubes l5.

At a locality midway between the ends of the inner header B, an opening is formed in the wall of said inner header and said wall, marginally of said opening, is drawn outwardly to form an annular flange 29. Complementing said opening in said inner header B is an opening 30 in the wall of the outer header A and to this wall, marginally of said opening 30, I secure the edge of I, said annular flange 29, as'by means of a weld 3|.

Thus, said annular flange 29 constitutes a connection joining the inner header B to the outer header A, said connection providing a passageway 32 open to the exterior of said outer header A, through the wall thereof and communicating with the interior of the inner header B. A pipe fitting is provided for the purpose of connecting a steam supply pipe with the radiator structure to conduct steam into the inner header B. This pipe fitting comprises an internally threaded coll-ar or coupling 33, the same being fitted endwise to the exterior of the wall ID of the outer header A and secured thereto, as by a weld 34, with the axis of said coupling 33 aligned with the axis of the annular flange 29 connecting the headers A, B together.

For the purpose of connecting a return pipe with the radiator structure to conduct steam and/or water from the return header A to the source of steam supply, I form a discharge opening 35 in the wall of the header A near one end thereof and weld to said header an internally threaded collar or coupling 36 axially aligned with said opening. For convenience in installation of the radiator structure, the discharge opening 35 and its companion collar or coupling 36 near the one end of the return header A may be duplicated at the other end thereof, as shown. Preparatory to the brazing or soldering of the supply tubes H to the inner header B and before securing the heads l2, heating tubes 15 and the annular flange 29 to the outer header A, said inner header B, by the use of suitable wedgeblocks, is temporarily disposed eccentrically relative to the outer header A so that the openings I9 in said inner header are brought closely into register withthe openings H in said outer header. In such temporary relative disposition of the inner header B and outer header A, the fabricator of the article can readily insert the supply tubes I4 into the openings l9 in the inner header and then braze or solder said tubes M to, said header B through the openings I! in the outer header A. V

In use, steam enters the supply header B through the coupling 33 and annular flange 29 and is thence distributed through the supply tubes [4 to the far ends of the heating tubes l5 which lead back to the return headerA, said return header draining through the one or the other or both of its discharge couplings 36. At the outset of any given operation of the structure and as a result of the initial flash of steam entering the supply header B, said header will expand under the heat of the steam and will become elongated prior to the lesser and later expansion elongating the returnheader A. Correspondingly, there will be a variation in contraction, between the headers A, B when the operation of the radiator is discontinued. Under these variations, said headers expand and contract substantially independently of each other, the

consequent relative movements between the supply tubes I4 and heating tubes l5 being accommodated by virtue of the latitude for play provided between each supply tube l4 and the companion heating tube l5 containing the same. Since the connection of the outer header A to the inner header B is restricted to the annular portion of the former adjoining the annular flange 29 on the inner header B, it follows that any strains or stresses, set up between the two headers A, B, as a result of contraction or expansion of the ma terials thereof, will be confined to the inner header B at the locality of the annular flange 29 and to the outer header A at the locality of.its annular portion attached to said annular flange 29. And here, it is to be noted that, even at the restricted localities of the headers A, B, involved in said connection between said headers, said 10- calities of said headers are heated substantially in the same degree by the steam entering the header structure.

The form of my invention shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 6 is fundamentally the same as that shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, and the similar parts in the several views of the two forms are designated by the same reference characters. This being the case, arepetition of the foregoing description will be unnecessary.

Owing to the fact that the radiator shown in Figs. l, 5 and 6 is adapted to stand vertically and to have air passed horizontally therethrough, it is found advantageous to shorten the annular flange 29 of the supply header B and to arrange said header eccentrically relative to the return header A rather than concentrically with respect thereto, whereby the supply header B and return header A will have line contact with each other longitudinally thereof. In this relation between the two headers, the suppl header B is braced therealong by the return header A against tilting relative thereto under the weight of the supply tubes I4. Thus, the connection between said headers A, B, through the annular flange 29, is effectively relieved of strains incident to the load imposed thereon, particularly by the supply tubes l4 extending from the supply header B. To secure the maximum advantage in eccentrically disposing the supply header B relative to the return header A, as aforesaid, the connection between the two headers is made at the upper ends thereof, as shown in Fig. 6. Furthermore, the outlet collar or coupling 36, instead of being applied to the body ID of the return header A, is applied to the lower head l2 of said header, as shown in said Fig. 6, whereby drainage into and through said coupling 36 is practically unimpeded, 7

It will be readily comprehended that in my invention, as embodied in each of the forms, aforesaid, the supply header B, except at the locality of its connection with the return header A, is entirely free of said return header to expand and contract and, likewise, that the supply tubes [4 are entirely free of the heating tubes E5 to expand and contract relative thereto. Thus, it is manifest that my improved radiator structure is susceptible of long life even though subjected to oft repeated applications of steam thereto under relatively high pressures.

Changes in the specific form of my invention, as herein described, may be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of my invention,

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. In a radiator, a return header, a supply header, one thereof being disposed within the other, tubes connected to the outer header and communicating therewith, tubes connected to the inner header and communicating therewith, said second named tubes extending into said first named tubes and communicating therewith, said outer header and said inner header having complemental openings in the side walls thereof, and a single connection joining said headers one to the other, said connection opening the interior of the inner header to the exterior of the outer header through said openings and comprising a tubular flange drawn from one of said headers about the opening therein and secured to the other of said headers at the marginal portion thereof about the opening therein, each header being free from the other, except through said connection, to contract and expand along itsentire length and about its entire circumference.

2. In a radiator, a tubular return header, a tubular supply header, one thereof being disposed within the other, tubes connected to the outer header and communicating therewith, tubes connected tothe inner header and communicating therewith, said second named tubes extending into said first named tubes and communicating therewith, said outer header and said inner header having complemental openings in the side walls thereof, and a single connection between said headers joining one to the other, said connection opening the interior of the inner header to the exterior of the outer header through said openings and comprising a tubular flange drawn from said inner header about the opening therein and secured to said outer header at the marginal portion thereof about the opening therein, each header being free from the other, except through said connection, to contract and expand along its entire length and about its entire circumference.

DONALD P. WILSON. 

